The results of long-term tests occasionally have been easy to predict. An Italian car, for example, in all likelihood would break—a lot. A pickup truck probably would prove extremely versatile, capable, and reliable. But the Mazda CX-9 was difficult to pin down. After all, it was basically the largest, cushiest, and most-expensive-est thing the Zoom-Zoom folks had ever built; the company’s most famous effort is a cheap (yet transcendent) two-seat roadster, fercrissakes. Could it build a good, satisfying seven-passenger crossover?

As it turns out, we had little to fear. Mazda had churned out a nearly perfect family hauler, even from an enthusiast’s perspective. Built for the 2008 model year, our CX-9 was a $35,290 top-spec Grand Touring model with an additional $6500-plus worth of options strapped to it. The total: $41,855. So, yes, our CX-9 was almost fully loaded—hair shirts make us look fat—but we’d have loved it just the same without all the goodies. The secret? A fantastic driving experience.

Trip after trip, mile after mile, we had universal love for the CX-9’s steering, ride, and handling. Indeed, although the Mazda weighed just over 4600 pounds, it cornered with the verve of the company’s fun-to-drive cars. The fantastically accurate steering was called sports-car-like, and some of us noted that the steering wheel itself felt smaller in diameter compared with those of other big crossovers, further enhancing the sporty feel.

Popular Long-Hauler

Our larger long-termers usually draw long-haul duty for their cargo- and people-carrying capacities rather than any fun-to-drive factor, but a dynamic chassis and a well-controlled ride—website executive editor Mike Dushane said the Mazda rode and handled like something far costlier—meant our staffers viewed the CX-9 as more than merely a pack mule. The first two rows kept butts happy during long hauls, and even though the third row wasn’t as accommodating, it wasn’t bad for brief jaunts. With the final row folded, the CX-9 swallowed 48 cubes’ worth of stuff, plenty for three people on a long trip or four on a short one. We did wish for a few more cubbies up front for small items, however.

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As is usually the case, the passage of 40,000 miles saw the CX-9’s test numbers shift around a bit. The Mazda’s 273-hp, 3.7-liter V-6 hauled it to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds when it was new; the final test saw a 10th shaved off that time. The 0-to-100 sprint increased by a full second, however, going from 20.3 to 21.3, and 0 to 110 took 28.3 seconds versus an as-new 27.1. The final mileage figure for 40,000 miles was 18 mpg, 1 mpg better than the EPA’s combined fuel-economy estimate. That’s not particularly good, especially in an age of ever-more-aggressive CAFE fuel-economy targets, but it is better than the typical body-on-frame-type SUVs that crossovers have virtually eliminated.

A Few Minor Problems—but No Big Deal

There were some issues. A couple of pieces of interior trim had to be replaced under warranty after the finish flaked off. Getting the aux-in jack to work required a $223 splitter. The trip computer didn’t provide fuel-economy or range data. The ergonomics for the radio controls needed improvement. The post-factory remote start wasn’t well integrated and would allow only the driver’s door to be unlocked when activated—annoying when you’re trying to load a legion of people in a snowstorm. The struts on the driver’s door creaked and groaned. Interior rattles occasionally would appear and disappear. You had to unlock the entire car before the power hatch would work. And although its function and operation were good, the resolution of the infotainment/navigation screen was jaggy and the menus seemed unrefined. (See previous updates on our CX-9 for more information.)

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Taken as a laundry list, our complaints might seem more substantial than they really were; in reality, none of them was much beyond slightly annoying. Plus, many of the issues were corrected for 2009 or during a substantial 2010 refresh. The newest models have revised head units with dual volume and tuning knobs, for example, and the aux-in jack and Sirius radio now harmoniously co-exist from the factory.

ScanGauge and Winter Tires

We gained a fully functional trip computer by using the $170 ScanGauge II, which plugs into the OBD II port. We installed the device on the dash near the driver’s-side A-pillar, where it was unobtrusive. It will display up to four different pieces of data, and the backlight is adjustable to one of several colors; we matched ours to the CX-9’s red cluster lighting. The buttons on the box itself are unmarked, but reading the manual proved too much effort for our lazy-ass staffers, so our ScanGauge largely stayed programmed to display rpm (to the single rev!), intake temperature, instant fuel economy, and exact mph—the four pieces of data we deemed most useful in the CX-9. Other information options include fuel pressure, engine load, throttle position, and ignition timing; the ScanGauge can spit out detailed fuel-consumption and cost data and read engine error codes. There might be more inexpensive options out there, but for dataheads, it won’t get much better than the ScanGauge. (If you don’t mind the eco-dork name, you can save 10 bucks by ordering the Fuel Efficiency Adviser, since it’s the same thing as the ScanGauge II.)

The only other major add-on we tested on the CX-9 was a set of Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 winter tires, which ran $980. In short, they were awesome. Combined with the Mazda’s excellent all-wheel-drive system (a bargain at $1300 over front-drive models in 2008; the difference is $1400 for 2009), we were virtually unstoppable in what was one of the worst Michigan winters any of us here can remember. Snow blanketed Ann Arbor for weeks on end, and the CX-9 plowed through it like, well, a plow. No one reported getting stuck; indeed, reports were of how sure-footed and fun the CX-9 was in the slippery stuff. (Well, associate editor Jared Gall tried to drive through five-foot snow drifts and high-sided the CX-9, but we don’t count that as getting stuck because it was so hilariously dumb.)

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Excepting the Self-Inflicted Ones, Costs Were Low

Thankfully, the snowy shenanigans didn’t prove dangerous to the CX-9’s sheetmetal. No, instead, we had to worry about the deadly parking lot. Three separate incidents left our Mazda slightly battered, and repairing all the damage required a hefty $2200-plus to fix. First, another vehicle hit the rear bumper while the CX-9 was parked, slightly perforating the plastic cover and requiring a total replacement. One staff member scuffed the front bumper playing a low-speed kissing game with a pole; a refinishing was in order. And on a windy day—60-mph gusts were reported—Dushane had the driver’s door ripped out of his hands, whereupon it bashed into the plastic side-mirror housing of the adjacent car, resulting in a large vertical crease just behind the door handle. (The other vehicle was unscathed.) Dushane claims the CX-9’s “weak sheetmetal” was to blame for the dent. Maybe it was weak hands.

Although we didn’t have any major incidents, we were glad to find that the CX-9 received Good ratings—the top result—from the IIHS in front and side crash tests. (It was, however, deemed Marginal for rear crash/head restraint performance.) NHTSA gave the Mazda five stars—again, the top result—for front and side crash performance, too.

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Total service costs for the Mazda during its stay were a very reasonable $261, which is the sum of five regular maintenance stops (oil changes, inspections, etc.). Mechanically, the CX-9 proved virtually bulletproof, and our only warranty repairs involved the previously mentioned interior trim and a leaking left rear-axle seal, the latter of which was discovered during the 37,500-mile scheduled service. There was one recall, for a possible short-circuiting power-seat harness in 2007–09 models, which we had taken care of by our local dealer for no charge.

When the CX-9 showed up, we were a bit bemused at the prospect of a 40-plus-grand Mazda, but we ended up utterly infatuated with the crossover’s blend of performance, driving pleasure, comfort, style, and luxury. It looked rich and classy inside and out—all CX-9s come with the same handsome interior and exterior styling and quality cabin materials and fit and finish—and every mile turned was a happy one. For that level of satisfaction, almost any price seems fair. Farewell, Mr. CX-9. We miss you already.

With 80 percent of our long-term test completed, we’re beginning to realize how much we’re going to miss this Mazda.

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We’re beginning to dread the day the CX-9 disappears. It’s been the perfect long-haul companion, and its logbook has attracted praise at an incredible rate. We’ve been rolling off 3600 miles a month with no sign of slowing, so the Mazda’s term as a member of the C/D long-term fleet is indeed coming to a fast-approaching close.

Trim Time and Remote Start

We mentioned in our last update that the silver trim on the doors, which had been flaking badly, was replaced under warranty. We also said the issue was beginning to crop up again. The degradation has thankfully slowed, and beyond a few scratches, the trim still looks passable. We now suspect that the original trim may have been defective.

With temperatures in Michigan dipping to points unseen since the Pleistocene, we’ve warmed up to—and with—the Mazda’s remote-start system. The fob and the receiver look dorky, but the range is impressive, and nothing beats hopping into a toasty warm car when it’s 10 degrees below zero, and we’re talking Fahrenheit here. Still, only the driver door unlocks when the remote start is active, and we really dislike that it kills the motor if you put your foot on the brake. We don’t know about you, but we never start a car without our foot on the brake—wouldn’t want a car in gear to lurch forward into a concrete wall or anything—and that’s a pretty hard habit to break.

In the Lane, the CX-9 Is Drifting

When winter weather gets frightful, some cars can become truly delightful—witness our long-term Subaru STI—but we’d never have thought we could say the same about the CX-9. We’ve praised the people hauler’s dynamics and sporty demeanor throughout its stay, but let’s get real: It weighs more than 4600 pounds. How much fun can it be? Plenty, it turns out. We’ve found that we can get our CX-9 sideways on the slippery stuff pretty easily with a heavy right clodhopper—and we can keep it there. Ease off the gas, and the all-wheel-drive system (a bargain at just $1400) pulls the CX-9 neatly into line. The stability-control system isn’t happy, though. It refuses to turn off after such shenanigans.

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Once we calm down and keep the CX-9 pointed in the direction it’s traveling, the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 winter tires deliver marvelous levels of grip. Said one editor, “I was both delighted and frustrated by the CX-9’s roadholding abilities on snowy roads. While my safety was assured, I found myself unable to grasp why everyone else was going so damn slow.”

Housekeeping

Since our last update, the CX-9 underwent its 30,000-mile service (an oil change and a general inspection), which cost $35 and upped the service total thus far to a very thrifty $185. Fuel mileage appears to be suffering a bit in the winter weather, but our overall average remains pegged at 19 mpg.

Another couple of months, another 10,000 miles—such is the life of our workhorse CX-9.

We’re just six months into our fling with the Mazda CX-9, and the crossover has accumulated more than 25,000 miles—more than half of the 40,000 miles required of all C/D long-termers. The reason we’re rolling the odo at such a prodigious rate is simple: road trips. The CX-9 has proven so adept at hauling lots of people and their stuff that it barely gets a moment to cool off before it hits the road again, headed to such far-flung places as Seattle and Montreal, with much of the Midwest thrown in for good measure.

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That’s a lot of driving, and yet not a single commenter has hurled an unkind word toward the CX-9’s dynamics. The sweet steering, the supple ride, and the communicative brakes have all continued to garner their fair share of praise. One editor, on returning from a family trip through Ohio, said that the CX-9 “is the kind of vehicle that makes people fall in love with a car company. It’s responsive, comfortable, and fun to drive.” Another wrote that he “loves this crossover” and would “ask for it any time a big trip is on the schedule.” Clearly, we have an infatuation with the big red Mazda.

A Few Annoyances . . .

Still, for all its dynamic goodness, the CX-9 has come under fire for a few things. In a previous update, we mentioned that the silver color on the front door-panel trim was getting scratched and flaking off, probably due to wedding bands and other jewelry. We had the trim replaced under warranty, but the problem is already cropping up again. The door struts are also beginning to creak and groan—pretty disappointing in a nearly new vehicle. Opening the driver’s door sounds like nothing so much as a whale’s mating call, which has us leery of visiting any ocean beaches for fear of attracting packs of libidinous orcas.

We also wonder why the Bluetooth phone connectivity needs to be configured via voice commands when the CX-9 has a perfectly functional touch screen planted in the middle of the dash. Finally, the keyless go system seems to have a hard time picking up the card-like key fob. We’re often getting “key missing” warnings even when the fob is sitting in a bin on the center stack.

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. . . But It Remains a Favorite

Although the trim wear is a bit more worrisome, the rest of those complaints are minor, and the mechanical reliability of the CX-9 has been great. The crossover has only required a single scheduled service—at 22,500 miles, for an oil change, tire rotation, and chassis lube—since we last checked in. Total service costs now amount to a paltry $150. Fuel mileage has held steady at a combined 19 mpg.

The CX-9 remains a vehicle that we can’t help loving. Some are smitten with the CX-9’s interior and exterior beauty—“To get such an attractively styled interior at this price makes a person feel spoiled”—and others love the versatile beast’s sporty personality. It’s been a great 25,000 miles so far, and we’re looking forward to the final 15,000.

We’re packing the miles onto our CX-9 and still loving it—despite a few shortcomings.

We’ve just passed the 100-day mark with our big seven-passenger Mazda, and the CX-9 has been stacking up the miles like a line cook at IHOP piles up pancakes. We’ve traveled a whopping 10,000 miles in the past month and a half alone.

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Still Good Times Behind the Wheel

The CX-9’s dynamics remain beyond reproach, and logbook praise continues in particular for the Mazda’s steering. During a cross-continental slog, it was reported that the tactility and accuracy made the mountain passes fun and that “the accuracy on-center meant little lane wandering during long Nebraska-esque sections, which greatly reduced fatigue.” That’s especially nice on 900-mile days.

The ride and the body control have been almost equally talked up: “This is a great road tripper that’s very quiet and smooth,” said one staff member. “The suspension is firm yet compliant, and the ride is smooth even with the 20-inch wheels” said another. It’s a trait that makes long trips a snap, as it mitigates the typical body roll of vehicles this large and keeps passengers from bobbing around in place.

Odds and Ends

In good news on the gadget front, we’re happy to report that the rear-seat DVD system is a delight and is as intuitive as one might hope: Pop in the disc, hit the power button on the wireless headphones, and enjoy. Drivers appreciate the fact that the screen does little to interfere with rearward visibility and that setting the stereo sound field to “front”—the better not to interfere with the movie—sees little drop in sound quality.

Overall fuel mileage has ticked up 1 mpg to 19 mpg, no doubt aided by a highway-intensive, 5000-plus-mile road trip to the Pacific Northwest and back. That’s still above the big crossover’s EPA estimate of 17 combined mpg, although the CX-9 has proven quite thirsty under any sort of load. To that end, a missive from that cross-country trip: “We were surprised by a modest freeway mountain climb out of nowhere—it was all plains, plains, plains, then mountain!—and ended up running on fumes despite having between a quarter and half a tank of gas prior. Passing exit after exit with no gas station, we were forced to watch the needle drop as we got mileage in the single digits. I had to— shudder—hypermile.” Car and Driver hypermiling a crossover—what has this world come to?

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The Complaints Begin to Roll In

As the new-car luster has worn off the CX-9, though, complaints have begun, primarily in regard to what one logger blasted as “the poor execution of many simple features.” Prime examples include a satellite antenna that has difficulty keeping reception in all but the most wide-open areas, radio controls situated on the wrong side of the center stack, and having to unlock the entire vehicle before the power hatch will open.

Further annoyances are the many small squeaks and rattles that have cropped up in the interior and the way in which the silver trim has begun flaking off the driver- and passenger-side-door hand grips. We think we’ve traced the latter to wedding bands and other rings scratching the trim when folks grab the doors—are we supposed to enact a jewelry ban for CX-9 occupants?—and have looked into having the trim replaced.

In the “Nearly Unforgivable Oversights” Department

Yet no other issues have inspired so much vitriol as the fact that the CX-9 didn’t come with a trip computer or an auxiliary input jack, two basic features we think any $35,000 vehicle should have. Both problems have been corrected for 2009, but it’s taken nearly $400 in equipment to remedy them on our 2008.

To provide distance-to-empty information, instant mpg, and more, we’ve installed a ScanGauge II, a $170 device that plugs into the OBD II slot and serves as a trip meter, error-code reader, and multigauge readout. Yes, it’s pricey, but at least it can be swapped from car to car; we’ll provide updates on how we like it going forward.

The lack of an aux-in jack can be blamed on our ordering Sirius satellite radio; the Mazda head unit has only one input on the back, and you need a splitter, which wasn’t provided from the factory. This cost $223 to order and install. Service costs include two oil, filter, and tire-rotation services, at 7500 and 15,000 miles, performed for a thrifty total of $96.

What do you do after you give a 5Best trophy to a Mazda? Why, you invite one in to stay a while.

It wasn’t so long ago—just over a year, in fact—that we piled an amazing sixth 5Best Trucks trophy onto the hood of the Honda Pilot; indeed, from 2002 to 2007, that well-rounded crossover was our clear choice as our favorite large SUV. But then the Mazda CX-9 burst onto the scene, and our most recent 5Best roundup saw us smitten with its handsome styling, surprisingly top-notch interior, and delectable driving manners. Needless to say, the CX-9 is now our reigning large-SUV champ.

The CX-9 won us over with its driving dynamics—an area where it decidedly excels. But a large crossover will be called on to haul kids and Ikea furniture far more often than it will be asked to conquer the Tail of the Dragon, and we began wondering if it’s possible that the Mazda handles so sweetly to the detriment of its other abilities. Finding the answer, of course, would require a grueling, 40,000-mile long-term test, so we put in an order for a 2008 edition.

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Loaded to the Gills, and Then Some

Hitting our parking lot six weeks ago, our all-wheel-drive CX-9 Grand Touring arrived swathed in chrome and Copper Red paint, looking classy and expensive. The base price for GT trim, though, was fairly reasonable at $35,290, considering the level of standard equipment. The big Mazda came with such luxuries as leather upholstery, 20-inch wheels, power heated front seats, xenon headlamps, Bluetooth integration, and rain-sensing wipers, but we couldn’t resist piling on the options—$6565 worth. With a final sticker price of $41,855, that agreeable bottom line turned a bit pricey.

Of the $6565, $2560 was tied up in a package that combined a 296-watt Bose stereo, a six-disc in-dash changer, a 115-volt power outlet, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with a nine-inch screen. Sirius satellite radio was $430 well spent, and we have yet to test out the virtues of the $525 towing prep package.

We also ordered navigation, which came bundled with a rearview camera and a power rear hatch for $2500. Most folks haven’t been too keen on the touch-screen-operated system, however—particularly the staff member whom it attempted to lead more than an hour out of the way on a long trip.

Finally, we optioned a $300 remote-start system and a $200 blind-spot-warning system. The remote start is an aftermarket-type setup with a big ugly black box stuck on the inside of the windshield and a separate fob that completely destroys the sleek usability of the CX-9’s credit-card-like, factory-supplied fob. The blind-spot system puts clear yet unobtrusive light-up icons on the side mirrors and has been aces so far.

Still, You Gotta Love the Performance

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Rather than on the luxury goodies, however, staff comments in the logbook have thus far largely centered on heaping praise on the CX-9’s fantastic chassis—particularly the steering, of which one editor asks, “How does Mazda get such lively steering in each of its vehicles? It feels like the CX-9 wants to be a sports car.” Another says that the big Mazda “impersonates something far more costly, especially in the ride-and-handling department.”

The CX-9 received an additional 0.2 liter of displacement for its V-6 for the 2008 model year, going from 3.5 liters to 3.7. Power is up 10 horsepower to 273, and torque jumps 21 pound-feet to 270. The extra oomph is noticeable on the drag strip—a front-drive 2008 CX-9 we tested shaved 0.5 second off the 7.8-second time posted by a front-drive 2007 model—but the extra torque is nicest for around town. Our all-wheel-drive long-termer posted a 7.7-second chug to 60; we didn’t test a 2007 CX-9 with all-wheel drive and the 3.5-liter, but we’d expect it to lag 0.5 second behind as well.

Our observed mileage to date—18 mpg—has been just above the EPA combined estimate of 17 mpg. Skidpad grip came in at 0.80 g, same as that of the most recent six-cylinder BMW X5 we tested, a vehicle we’ve long respected for its handling prowess. Our 4639-pound CX-9 also posted a respectable 177-foot 70-to-0-mph stopping distance, 15 feet better than the front-drive 2007 and just five feet longer than the 4398-pound, front-drive 2008 model.

With several big-time road trips already scrawled on the CX-9’s schedule, the miles and the logbook entries are sure to pile up quickly. Check this page for monthly updates.